Dead Bears
E.A. Johnston emphasizes the importance of personal, disciplined prayer and Bible study, urging believers to cultivate a daily quiet time with God rather than relying solely on external spiritual feeding.
In this devotional sermon titled "Dead Bears," E.A. Johnston draws on the example of Jesus rising early to pray and a compelling story about bears to highlight the necessity of personal spiritual discipline. Johnston challenges believers to cultivate a daily quiet time with God through prayer and Bible study, warning against spiritual dependence on others. This message encourages a deeper, more intimate relationship with God through consistent personal devotion.
Full Transcript
Hello friends, this is Manna in the Morning, and our devotion today is Dead Bears. Our scripture passage is found in the Gospel of Mark, in chapter 1, and in verse 35. We see in God's Word, And in the morning, rising up a great while, before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.
We notice from our text that Jesus rose early in the morning, more than likely before his disciples, and he went out. He had to find a place to get alone with the Father. It says Jesus departed into a solitary place, where he would not be disturbed.
And he got up, and he got out, and he got alone, got alone with the Father for one specific purpose, and there prayed. I had a friend who used to work as a park ranger in Colorado, and he told me that a mystery surrounded the national park that one year. Park employees could not determine why there was such a high number of deaths among bears.
There were no markings or wounds on the dead bears. Finally, they determined that the bears had grown so accustomed to the tourists feeding them that they had forgotten how to feed themselves, and the bears were starving to death. Are we like those bears in that we rely on our pastor to feed us each week, that we too have forgotten to go to God's Word on our own and feed ourselves? The main purpose of our daily devotions is to develop the habit of a regular quiet time with God in the study of His Word and communion with Him in prayer.
You may have to get up earlier than anyone else in your household to find a quiet place of prayer. God gets serious with those who get serious with Him. Be determined, friend, to feed on His Word daily and develop a regular quiet time where you can speak to God and He can speak to you.
Great God, draw us into a deeper knowledge of Your Word and into a more intimate knowledge of Thee. I pray these things in the strong name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Sermon Outline
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I
- Jesus' example of rising early to pray
- The importance of solitude in prayer
- Seeking God before daily distractions
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II
- The story of the dead bears as a spiritual metaphor
- Dangers of relying solely on others for spiritual nourishment
- The necessity of self-feeding on God's Word
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III
- Developing the habit of daily devotions
- Practical advice to find quiet time early
- God honors those who seek Him earnestly
Key Quotes
“Jesus departed into a solitary place, where he would not be disturbed.” — E.A. Johnston
“Are we like those bears in that we rely on our pastor to feed us each week, that we too have forgotten to go to God's Word on our own and feed ourselves?” — E.A. Johnston
“God gets serious with those who get serious with Him.” — E.A. Johnston
Application Points
- Set aside a specific time each day, preferably early morning, for prayer and Bible reading.
- Take responsibility for your own spiritual nourishment instead of relying solely on church services.
- Seek solitude regularly to deepen your relationship with God and avoid distractions.